“People don’t have the answers”: A qualitative exploration of the experiences of young people with Long COVID

Fiona Newlands*, Celine Lewis, Anais d’Oelsnitz, Snehal M. Pinto Pereira, Terence Stephenson, Trudie Chalder, Anna Coughtrey, Emma Dalrymple, Isobel Heyman, Anthony Harnden, Tamsin Ford, Shamez N. Ladhani, Claire Powell, Kelsey McOwat, Rowan Bhopal, Jake Dudley, Paige Kolasinska, Mohammed Z. Muhid, Manjula Nugawela, Natalia K. RojasAngel Shittu, Ruth Simmons, Roz Shafran

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Young people living with Long COVID are learning to navigate life with a constellation of poorly understood symptoms. Most qualitative studies on experiences living with Long COVID focus on adult populations. This study aimed to understand the experiences of young people living with Long COVID. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted (n = 16); 11 young people (aged 13–19) and five parents were recruited from the Children and Young People with Long COVID (CLoCk) study (n = 11) or its patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE) group (n = 5). Thematic analysis generated four themes: (i) Unravelling Long COVID: Exploring Symptom Journeys and Diagnostic Dilemmas; (ii) Identity Disruption and Adjustment; (iii) Long COVID’s Ripple Effect: the impact on Mental Health, Connections, and Education; and (iv) Navigating Long COVID: barriers to support and accessing services. Treatment options were perceived as not widely available or ineffective, emphasising the need for viable and accessible interventions for young people living with Long COVID.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)783-798
Number of pages16
JournalClinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Volume29
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2024

Keywords

  • Children and young people
  • experience
  • Long COVID
  • post-COVID condition
  • qualitative

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